Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-11

to leave nue., and act as
body servants to officers, only
| one or Two were unfalthful, Then came
the tnal blow The Union troops were
defeated rAlauassas, and senseless re-
Venge was taken on every hand wherever
ii wac safe. NV house was torn down al
most over my head, and we went into the
cabins OF the slaves. The women folk
We're sent sway to friends in Maryland,
and remained to see to the wreck of nv
property. Our losses in animals ana
buildings alone amounted to more than
$40 600 "a large sum IN those days.. for
which ( have never received cent,
though not z disloyal word did ever ut
ter. Indeed, sir, never asked to be re-
imbursed. | was too proud FOR that.
when the emancipation proclamation
came l gathered my servants together
and told them they were free; that they
belonged to themselves now, and could
go or stay as they pleased. With one
voice they all declared they would not
leave me; that could pay them what /
pleased, but they wanted 20 stay on the
old plantation. For a while permitted
them to remain, but what conld l do with
themS Everything was IN state OF ruin,
and L myself was living in nut. l could
not provide work for them, much less pay
them. Reluctantly l explained TO them
that | could support them no longer, and
selves henceforth. When things became
settled | sold large part OF the old place,
and with the money built my present
residence, aud have managed to live COM
fortably."
Tne supreme innocence with which the
old gentleman described how he had Told
tbs slaves he "oould support them no
longer" was one of the most striking
features of his story.
g. WOUld 81 n haUn
my house and have glass of wine, sir"
continued the old gentleman. "No? you
nave not timer / am very sorry, sir. We
40 not sac much company now. An, you
should have seen how we used to enter
tam in our days of prosperity before the
war. Our house was always open, aad
all our friends knew 1t. 1t was a biz
house, sir, but Ive often seen il so full
that we had to put cots in the hall, dining
room and parlors, and when twenty or
thirty servants were required to do the
cooking and wait upon the guests, and
we had no end OF riding, and hunting, aud
fishing, and flirting and love-making.
And the cOOfed people seemed to take as
much interest as any one In the g0lngs
on, Sir. No, sir. don't think the cOlored
people, as a whole. are as happy or as
| comfortable now as they were then.
| Their freedom is nothing but name, SIT;
| nothing but q name"
Lifting his nat. and with many cOurtly
| bows of his bare bald head, the old Vir-
Xinia gentleman OF the rural type babe
me goodby, earnestly urging me to call
upon MIN soon. just as | came into the
road met a decreplt Old negro, who also
took of his hat and made similar grace
full bows. 1t struck me that the one
must have learned his manners in the
school of the other.
81 suppose you were slave in these
parts, in other days, uncle" said L.
ION. yes, sab, Pse slave to Maws-,
yondah on de hill"
Nv as he a good master, uucle?"
'Wa-wa-wat you say, sab? He-he
| good mawstah? Y0-yo-yo ne0ber head
tell o. Maws - afore, has yo? Goo
gOo-good mawstah? Well | sh'd-weIl,
we'll, WE'LL She! DIS ole niggah do' no
what to say. He! hel he! whewi He
was one 90 de hes! de berry best l tell
you, sah! He! he! he! whewr'